An African-American high-level administrator who lost his job at a Texas community college for sexual harassment has lost another round in his race and gender discrimination lawsuit.
Vernard Grice failed to produce evidence that the Alamo Community College District treated him “less favorably” in enforcing its sexual harassment policy than employees who are not Black or male, a Texas Court of Appeals panel ruled. Its unanimous decision upheld Grice’s firing.
Grice was the director of partnerships and extended services, and interim dean of workforce development and continuing education at the district’s St. Philip’s College in San Antonio.
Until February 2009, the district’s sexual harassment policy discouraged but didn’t ban consensual relationship between supervisors and subordinates. After that, a revised version prohibited such romantic or sexual relationships “whether or not they result in sexual harassment.”
A former subordinate filed a sexual harassment complaint against Grice in September 2009. An investigative committee interviewed Grice and the woman, sustained the complaint and recommended termination. The college president approved the firing.
Grice’s lawsuit claimed that the district’s reasons for termination were a pretext and that he was discharged because of his race and gender. A lower court tossed out the case, and the Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling.
